Pieces Of Love part I
by mysoiree
Summary: it's a story that I'm starting to write. the first four chaps are up! Do take a look : It's about young a boy perceiving the world and how he handles barriers and obstacles in life. He learns to accept common domestic problems and deal with it his own w


**Chapter one**

_**The wonders of flying**_

I bid my last farewell to no one in particular, nobody had come to say goodbye to us.

Mummy said that we're leaving home, leaving the country, leaving daddy.

I asked no questions, but simply nodded my head and abided her command.

'Pack your bag now!'

'Finish your breakfast! Especially the eggs!'

'Close the door before you come out!'

Those were the last few sentences mummy said to me before we were in the cab. She was silent throughout the journey and that made me feel a little at ease. Not that I disliked mummy's talking, but recently, she had been acting weird. Eccentric, rather. There was once when I sneaked out of my room during a thunderstorm night, hoping to seek comfort in the big bed that mummy and daddy shared, I saw that daddy wasn't there. He wasn't in the bed. Only mummy was there. I took a closer look and observed silently. Mummy was crying, well not that kind of a loud and noisy cry that I always hear kids in my school do when they had to let of their mother, but it was a silent and heartbreaking one. Her heart must be aching so badly that she has to cry to let it out. Though no sound was made, the silent pain was screaming ever so loudly that even I, who is experienced with the cries that my fellow friends make in school, could not take it.

The light was off, but during flicks of lightning, I could see clearly her wet face. A face filled with emotions that made me want to cry too.

Mummy's tears were so much scarier than the thunderstorms and so, I ran back to my room as silently as I could.

From then on, mummy has changed. And I almost never saw daddy again.

As we reached the airport, I asked mummy where we're going because I feel I have to at least know my future home. Not that I am excited or anything, in fact, I was sad because I had to leave Ronald at home. I swear his eyes were filled with tears to the brim when mummy forced me to hand him over to Mrs. Sleep, a neighbour who never wakes up until she gets twenty hours of sleep a day.

Marvellous, isn't it? I wonder where she gets the time to even lead a normal life.

Well, so as I was saying. Mrs. Sleep, miracle that she's awake on that particular time of the day, was so happy when I finally handed Ronald to her. She has adored him ever since we brought him home and I secretly suspect she has hundreds of dogs in her home because of a perverted fetish for them.

"Do you promise you'll take extra good care of it?" I asked sadly, hoping mummy would miraculously announce that we're not leaving or we could take Ronald together with us; she always found pets troublesome and the only reason we had Ronald was because daddy said we could.

"Of course, my dear! He's in good hands, I assure you!" Mrs. Sleep promised and almost as quick as lightning, she snatched Ronald from my arms and put him comfortably onto hers.

Oh god, how is Ronald ever going to survive without me?

Or rather, how am I to survive without him?

I gave a final pat to Ronald and ran as fast as my legs could carry so that I do not burst into tears. I'm a big boy now, and I can never cry like those girls in my school.

This is what daddy never fails to remind me.

Twenty minutes later, we boarded the plane (mummy was so distracted she didn't hear me. It is ironic, because no one was with us at all, but she kept staring into space and sigh).

Butterflies filled my stomach as soon as I sat comfortably on my seat. Physically, I was settled, but mentally, I was so excited that I feel like jumping up and down to shake the feeling off. I want to scream loudly and announce to everyone that I'm in a plane! And soon, we'll be flying! Like a bird! We would reach the top of the sky and experience the wonders of flying! Immediately, I thought of my friends in school—Lilly, Rachel and Samuel. They'd been so envious of me when I told them I'll be boarding a plane. The feeling of envy was so overwhelming that it overpowered the feeling of sadness, a pity that I'm leaving and not coming back. They didn't catch that last bit and kept pestering for me to bring photos of the sky as soon as I return.

But I'm not returning, as I said.

I feel a little sad that my friends didn't cry on my last day at school because I could feel tears forming in my eyes. I hurriedly blinked them back because I'm not supposed to cry. I mean, I'm a big boy now right? I'm not supposed to cry, not at all. And so, I left with a heavy heart. The weight was almost as strong as a mountain, so heavy that I found no strength to walk on my way home.

That was when I sat down by the river and prayed, for God to bring the feeling of sadness away. Let them disappear as soon as I open my eyes. p

But they didn't, and I forced myself to leave with it.

I looked at mummy who was seating beside me and wondered if she was feeling what I was feeling right at that moment. Was she amazed too? That we're in a plane? In a real solid plane? Or was she sad too, that we're leaving everything behind, including Ronald.

Alright, maybe not Ronald.

However, I could catch no emotions on her face. It was filled with a blank expression that has been staying there since the night I saw mummy cried. I hoped that this was not going to be permanent because I don't want mummy to look like this. She looked ugly with that expression.

With a final glance, I turned away to continue enjoying this fantastic moment. We're still on land and a million questions suddenly flooded my head; how is it that the plane is able to withstand the weight of us all? The luggage, the people, the furniture? Don't they all weigh a ton? Also, most importantly, how is it that the aeroplane is able to fly? Does it really fly like a bird? Just by fluttering it's gigantic wings?

Too bad daddy wasn't there to answer my questions and my mind felt as though it was going to explode.

For what seems like hours, I finally hear a voice that tells us that we're about to take off.

I clenched my fist tight and shut my eyes, feeling my stomach churning with excitement.

And that was when I realised we're flying.

**C****hapter two **

**_A little about me_**

Oh, I just realised that I didn't even introduce myself at all throughout the story. Well, then I guess I shall devote a whole chapter on me, myself and I.

My name is Edison. I can't spell my full name right because I haven't learnt that in school. But I do know that I have my daddy's last name and everyone tells me it's nice and so, I suppose I have a nice name. My parents call me Ed by the way; I guess this is what adults always do when they are so tired with long names. I do not understand this custom actually. It seems as though we're really close and intimate, like our family is a really fortunate one. But I think it's used as a disguise for the many loopholes in our family, like the way we call each other. My mother calls daddy Honey and Daddy calls her Baby. It is weird actually; they don't seem to be close enough to be addressed in such manner. But I really liked it when mummy calls me Sweetie, oh wait, she changes my names sometime. When she's happy she'll call me in all sorts of sweet names that I feel as though I was the most important boy to her.

But when she's really down, she just calls me Edison.

Daddy calls me young man. And that makes me feel like a grown up.

My favourite colour is grey. I liked the fact that it is somewhere in between black and white and I like to be in the middle. However, the favourite instrument I enjoy playing is the piano. It has only black and white keys, no grey keys at all. Whenever I play the piano, I look at the black and white scores that gives me a tinge of excitement and that made my finger wriggle. My heart flutters in an unexplainable way and the melody that fills the air simply made my day. I dislike black and white keys because it made the piano looked systematic, and I don't want it to be classified into keys. I want a mixture, or somewhere in between, just like grey. Music is not composed in a systematic way, it comes naturally for every single composer and that is what I respect most about them. I do not like the idea of them being written down in scores that limits the piece. It should be like a painted picture, whereby when one sees it, he automatically gets the vibe and play the exact same piece that the composer has composed because he felt everything that is required just by looking at the picture. p Like when I see Mona Lisa, I immediately play Fascination by F. Marchetti.

Mummy wanted me to take up piano because she loved man who can play the piano, and daddy was a great player who coaches me whenever I needed extra help. Slowly, I fell in love with music because there was some unspeakable comfort in them whenever I come into contact with them. I enjoy the comfort, something ever so special that I believe I never can find in any living thing.

Daddy loves to give me lessons about life as though he had experienced all sorts of turbulences in life and sometimes, he talks to me as though it was a men-only talk, which I liked very much. He made me feel proud being a male, because I've always suspected that I should have been a female from birth. Judging from my looks and character, it is hard to no wonder about my gender.

There was this particular night when we had a little heart-to-heart talk. It was when he tucked me into bed, which he very seldom does so. And I was particularly obedient that night because he was home for dinner. When that happens, mummy would prepare a sumptuous meal as though it was my birthday and that night, I enjoyed dinner very much.

However, I did not enjoy our heartfelt talk very much.

"Daddy, could you kiss me night? Since mummy is not here to do it?" I asked timidly. Daddy's face being enlarged as his was so close to mine. The lamp light did a little help by enhancing his masculine features; my father was a very handsome man, apart from me, that it.

"Oh, you don't need that already, do you? You're six! Ed! A big man now!" Daddy laughed, like it was the most natural thing to say.

"Yes, but a kiss would make me sleep better, I think. Mummy never fails to kiss me goodnight. Or should we call mummy here?"

And so, daddy gave in and gave me a little peck on my cheek.

"There you go." He said awkwardly, and I wondered if grandpa ever kissed daddy.

I didn't do anything, but seeing his awkward expression, I felt peculiar too.

There was silence for a few minutes and I wondered if I should sleep now. But daddy was still sitting on the chair next to my bed, and so, I kept my eyes wide open.

"Edison listen," Daddy whispered even though we were so close to each other suddenly, "How'd you like staying with daddy? Say we move into a bigger house, leave this place and start a new life, just you and me, and a nice lady who's gonna take pretty good care of you."

I didn't quite understand, and apparently, it shows because daddy continued, "It'll be pretty cool eh? We move into a big house with a pool maybe. And we'll transfer you into a good school. Don't you always complain about Samuel always hanging out Lilly and stops playing with you? Well, here's a really good deal yeah? You can restart your life and make new friends! Don't you always love that?"

"But what about mummy? Why isn't she included in our new life?" I asked, proud at myself to correct my father on his mistake in leaving out the most important woman in his life.

"Sorry, Ed. Mummy can't come with us. She's..."Daddy trailed off and his face began to harden, "She just isn't used to switching environments, so it's just gonna be you and me."

I began to feel the tears welling up because without mummy, life is going to be very awful. Like a piano without its keys and a violin without its strings. "But I wanna stay with mummy! I don't wanna go! I want mummy! Why do we have to go? Can't we all just stay together?"

That was when daddy started to knit his eyebrows and I swore for a moment, his eyes were wet too. I didn't know that I'd hurt him. I was just speaking the truth, and I didn't know it'd hurt.

"Alright alright. I was just asking. We're not going anywhere yeah? We're all gonna stay here forever and mummy will always be with you. I promise." But I knew that a promise made would always be broken because it's human nature to not keep their promises, especially adults.

And with that, daddy tucked me into bed and switched off the lights. He reminded me that a boy was not supposed to cry at all and I have to be strong in order to protect mummy when he is not around. But daddy would always be around. I _want_ him to be around. Because only with mummy and daddy, then can our family be a perfect one.

I realised that I'm digressing. Instead of sharing facts about me, I'm telling you stories and happenings about my family. Of course, I shan't talk so much about my family because I have a whole book to complete. And there's a lot of space to fill that part up with.

Let me talk to you about my friends.

I've known Samuel ever since I entered school. He has brown messy hair which I think has a stench whenever he played at the playground, and huge hazel round eyes that shows everything about him—a playful, innocent and boisterous personality that shines as bright as the sun. Well, as for me, I'm the complete opposite. As people always wonder why we'd become friends at all for the difference between us was simply too apparent, I feel that best friends needn't share similarities just to prove their friendship, that's a stereotype that I aim to eradicate. I have light blonde hair, inherited from my mother's good genes and green eyes. Everyone says I have a feminine look because I look too much like my mother. Perhaps it is also because I act too much like a girl and that's why people have the idea of such. I hated sports and math and computer games, unlike Samuel. But I enjoyed reading, especially Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. I feel as though I've come across a rare gem whenever I chance upon them and never ever let go off them until I've finished their masterpiece. Mummy seems to find this habit an irritant, but still, Mrs. Teacher says this action ought to be highly commended because it strengthens my English. This is one of the reasons why I'm writing a book actually. But I shall touch on this for the later part. As I said, there are plenty of spaces left for my stories.

Lily joined us when we entered school that year. Before, it was just Samuel and I. We are the twosome who are so tightly glued together that they go wherever each person goes. I love this idea being produced unto people; that the both of us are so close that we behave as though we're twins. 

I've always wanted a sibling actually, someone who talks to me when I reach home so that I don't have to talk to Ronald who does nothing but bark all day. I dream about having someone who goes wherever I go 24/7 and that I would never get lonely. Daddy and Mummy work so much that I only meet then during dinner time and I feel as though I would forget how to even talk as the chances of me talking to people is diminishing as each day progresses.

I disliked Lily. A lot.

Not that she was ugly or had a disgusting character, but I dislike the fact that Samuel likes her more. Lily had a beautiful smile and shinning eyes, silky blonde hair and rosy cheeks. She was like an angel and I strongly believe that Samuel had a killer crush on her. "She's the cutest girl I've ever seen!" Samuel was gushing that day when Lily was introduced and immediately, I sensed the threat of her presence. I think this was just partly a reason why Samuel didn't like to hang out with me as much as before anymore. I've long knew that Samuel hated it when people link us together so much that we would even get mixed up. I mean, we had different hair colours and features, but still, because of the intense closeness of us both, people longed thought of us as one.

And Samuel hated it.

He didn't want to be like me—a quiet timid and not at all sociable boy. One who coops in his room every day to read thick books when what a normal boy our age would normally do was just to simply play and have fun. That was what Samuel enjoyed doing, to play soccer, to watch TV and do math. Oh boy, he was such a genius at algebra.

Speaking of which, I have an algebra test next week, and I seriously ought to do more practice now. Alright, I shall end this chapter and proceed on to a new one next time.

**Chapter three**

_**An outing with mummy **_

"Sweetie! Let's go shopping shall we?" Mummy was once again in a superb mood so great that I felt happy too. I shall rewind the story back to when I was five. Mummy hadn't cried that night and Daddy hadn't given me the heart-to-heart talk. And when I was still an innocent child at heart.

It was a breezy afternoon when I'd just returned home from school and Mrs. Teacher had just taught us a new word: ecstatic. I hadn't clearly understood what that means and I was dying to ask mummy as soon as I reached home. That was the year when mummy hadn't left the house during afternoons for her part-time jobs at wherever she sought financial support in. To think, we didn't even need money because our house was as huge as a mansion. Well, mummy was always at home that year, just that particular year, but I don't know why. I liked it especially during that year. Because mummy showered so much attention and love upon me that I feel I'm drowning in it. I loved that feeling, it is almost as how I feel when it comes to music.

Before I even had a chance to open my mouth, mummy dressed me in my favourite blue Gap shirt, jeans and a little cap to shield the scorching summer heat and off to the mall we go. Mummy herself looked gorgeous that day; she put on a dress so long and elegantly-looking that it made her look like a princess. Her face had a natural glow and her lips so glossy and luscious. I noticed a few man peering at her while on our way to the mall and I gawked at them hard, as if sending an invisible message: she's attached!

I always knew mummy was pretty because everyone tells me I look like my mother. And I am quite a handsome young man as many of you should have already inferred based on my description. That was the main reason that attracted daddy, I suppose. And I was also about to find out the most attractive aspect of her that day.

"Isn't this cute? Sweetie!" Mummy cried enthusiastically, beaming as she showed me a toy monkey. We were in a toy shop—Toys "R" Us, a place which sells endless numbers of toys that never a child could ever imagine. It is like paradise, because I see many little children my age smiling happily as they were being bombarded by the huge amount of selections. There were Barbie dolls, toy cars, toy pianos, Winnie The Pooh, Spongebob Squarepants, you name it, they got it. And that particular monkey that mummy showed me looked interesting. It had little cymbals attached to its hands and is dressed in a purple shorts. Its smile is shaped like a banana and eyes as huge as pearls.

I was engulfed in a world of toys, ever so much that I wish I could bring everything home. The only thing restraining me is mummy's hands. She gripped my hands so tightly that running around is so impossible. And so, I simply looked at her wide-eyed and smiled, nodding vigorously.

"You like it? We shall bring it home, shall we?" Mummy asked as she squat down to reach my height, smiling too. 

Once again, I nodded, reaching for the toy monkey and started shaking it so that the cymbals would collide and make a 'kling' sound. I took a closer look at the monkey and let go mummy's hands. It was really soft and cushy, like the cushion on the sofas at home, emitting a touch of comfort whenever I touch it. How on Earth did they make it? Can it talk? And be my new friend? Can I name it Tolly? Or would Tiddy be a fancier name? Tons of questions exploded in my mind and I wanted to ask mummy all of them. But before I could say anything, mummy was nowhere in sight.

I swore mummy was just right beside me just now; she couldn't have just disappeared, could she? I looked around the gigantic shop and began to panic. My heart started pumping faster and cold sweats began to form on my forehead. I knitted my eyebrows and felt my lips tremble with fear. This couldn't be happening. Where is mummy? How am I going to find her in here? I don't even know where we were or how to find her. And so, I began to shake, feeling the tears form in my eyes. I closed my eyes and hoped that the next moment I open them, mummy would be standing right in front me, and tell me that whatever happening now is just a dream. Yes, this must be it, this must be a dream. A really bad dream.

I closed my eyes and shut them tight before opening them again after a few seconds, but there was no mummy. I was still alone, standing by the rack where they sold the stupid monkeys and all of them smiling widely at me with their cymbals as though they were laughing at my misfortune. With that disgusting image, I threw the monkey onto the floor and began to run, screaming, shouting, crying for mummy. I was afraid as a million thoughts flashed in my mind. What would happen to me if without mummy? I would die, I think. Because there would be no one to cuddle me at night to hush me to sleep, or no one to cook delicious meals at night for me. No one to buy me birthday presents or teach me my maths so that I could defeat Samuel. No one would bathe me when I'm dirty or no one to tell me that it is incorrect to eat food picked up from the floor no matter how hungry I was.

Most importantly, no one to love me.

I didn't want that, so I cried, as loudly as I could as if my cries could reach out to mummy and bring her back to my side. Indeed, I attracted attention. A few kind ladies came up to me and asked what happened. But they're not mummy or people I knew. So I kept on crying, hoping that mummy would come back. They tried asking a few more times but to avail because I simply couldn't speak. And so, after a few minutes, a man came. He was dressed in a neat uniform and had moustache all over his face, "Tell me child, what happened?" He bent down to reach my height and his face was so close that I could almost hear his breath. He had large brown eyes and I also noticed that he wore a name tag that read _Travis_.

"Now, boy. Stop crying and tell me what happened Or else, how am I to help you?" Travis asked again, his voice soft and sooth.

But I kept on crying. I felt like an ant suddenly. Everyone was crowding around me as though something very terrible had happened. I feel so minute and powerless and that the only appropriate thing that I should do now is to cry. And as I did, everyone was murmuring whispers around and showing expressions of sympathy. I hated that feeling. The feeling hopelessness and helplessness that was so overwhelming that I felt like disintegrating. My voice was hoarse from the crying but that didn't stop me from trying to find mummy. Where is she? Or rather, where am I?

Travis sighed at my refusal to speak and started prompting, "You're lost, aren't you?"

 I nodded my head as I wiped my tears away, only to replace them with fresh ones.

Just at that very instant, I heard that voice. "Ed! Eddie! Edison!"

And yes, that was mummy. I turned my head to the direction where the voice was coming and caught sight of mummy. She had a frantic expression and her hair was in a mess. Her hair was sticky because of the perspiration and she looked genuinely scared, just like me. At least, that was what I thought so.

The crowd laid eyes unto her and upon seeing them; mummy came running to me, "Edison! Where were you? I was looking for you everywhere! You worried me!"

And with that, she hugged me, so tightly that I could hardly breathe. I could smell her familiar scent and felt her heart beating as hard as mine. Finally, I was found.

"How could you just run away like that? Never ever do that again. You understand me?" Mummy scolded as soon as the crowd dissipated and after thanking Travis especially before he went off.

"It's alright. Your little boy was scared stiff! Good thing you appeared on time." Travis said before giving my shoulder a little rub.

"Sorry mummy." I said softly, half recovering from the situation.

Right after that, we left the toy shop and prepared to go home because mummy was afraid she would lose me again and she didn't want to take that risk at all. I too was glad she decided so because I didn't want to leave mummy again.

As we left, we walked past a watch shop and the corner of my eye caught sight a black watch, its uniqueness emphasised by its sleek design and cute imprints of dogs. It reminded me of Ronald and so I stopped in my tracks, hoping that mummy would see the watch too.

"What's wrong, honey?" Mummy asked as she noticed my distracted expression. I pointed her to the watch and she turned to look at it. The watch was steadily fixed on a white cubic wooden box and was seating behind the transparent glass pane in which the lights made it look even more extraordinary.

"You like it?" Mummy asked. She knew I'd thrown away the monkey she promised to buy earlier and perhaps because she didn't want to bring me home empty-handed, mummy bought the watch.

As we were on our way home, mummy said to me, "sweetie, promise me you'll never wander off by yourself again, alright? I was worried sick."

I nodded, and had the urge to tell her that I feel the same, but I didn't.

"From now on, you can just press this button and mummy would come to you no matter where you are. So you're not to be afraid okay? Mummy will always be there for you." Mummy said as she showed me a button by the side of the face of the watch and pressed it. Instantly, the face lit up brightly with the help of the blue lights and the lights were so vibrant that it made me laugh. I was fascinated with that function and kept on pressing it, looking at mummy each time the watch shines. Mummy laughed too and that was the moment when I felt ecstatic.

 Not because mummy bought me a watch or that the watch shines. But because I'm safe now, because I know now how to locate mummy and her promise made me feel at ease. I was happy because mummy would forever be by my side and I vow to never take the watch down.

Having mummy is like having a treasure, a pearl perhaps, so valuable and priceless that nothing could ever replace it.

Finally, there would be somebody shower me with affection, somebody who would be home to talk to me, somebody to answer my silly questions, somebody to buy me nice clothes, somebody to tie my shoelaces for me, somebody to scold me when I am wrong and somebody to tell me she loves me.

Mummy could never be replaced because she was that somebody. And that no one could ever do her job well, not even daddy.

And from then on, I kept the watch by my side and pressed the button which made it shine whenever I want to see mummy, and soon enough, she would appear right in front of me. Be it from the kitchen, from the toilet or even at malls, she would always come to me and say, "Yes, honey?"

And from them on, I hated monkeys.

**Chapter four**

_**Ronald's Diary Entry (if he was literate)**_

"Ruff ruff!" I bet this is what I get whenever I open my mouth. I am the family's dog, housekeeper and only animal in the household. I yearn for a companion, and ever since Little Ed brought me home, I felt warmth, peace and tranquillity. I bet no other dogs could write better than me. Little Ed is so nice to let me contribute a chapter for his new book and here I am, writing it.

It is late in the night now as I'm writing this. The purpose of this chapter is not to show you how marvellous a golden retriever can get nor how technology could be so advanced. The main agenda of this entry was to voice out the unspeakable secrets in this household, the deepest and darkest gossip of this family that even the author, namely Edison, doesn't know. I know how weird a dog like me can get, but think about it. It is always through a human perspective that we get our information from, nobody ever talks to us, the neglected ones on Earth. We're living things too, even the plants, the insects, we just don't _speak_ the human language, that's all.

But before I go into all the nitty gritty details of this family, I shall introduce a bit on myself. I'm two years old now. The first time Ed brought me home was when he was four. Yes, that little cutesy was so adorable then, and not to mention that innocence in him that it near to extinction these days. I remember walking around in my designated space in the cage, wondering when will the day or every other day pass. I study crowds, observe actions and behaviours, put on my best front so as to attract a potential owner to bring me out of this filthy place. I remember seeing him, dressed in a shirts and pants, holding on tightly onto his mother's hands. He had the other thumb in his mouth, and his mother was wiping his drool away. I stared him in the eye and gave a 'please-bring-me-home-please' look. And I think it worked, because the next moment, the boy was begging his mother to buy me home. I could remember seeing his mother's disapproving expression as she shakes his head and gave a frown. Oh, how deprived the child was, I thought. Still, the parents gave in because the kind father said he could and the next thing I knew, I was brought into a big house, three storey-high and with a huge garden at the back. I knew this was home and boy, was I jubilant!

For two years, I was treated like a family member in the household; they fed me well, gave me clothes and take me out often. Ed especially, took extra great care of me because I could see, that he needs me, just as much as I need him. It wasn't until the gradual years then I see the true colours of the facade under the seeming happy family. They had everything—money, clothes, food and a big house.

But they didn't have joy.

I remember clearly that it was when Ed celebrated his sixth birthday. He was turning into a fine young man, his first tooth bursting from its gums and his smile turning from genuine to superficial. I notice, that when human-beings grow up, they change. Well, of course, physically they become stronger and better, but inside, they do not know that they have lost it all. What they started out with, they changed them, the authenticity of the human existence seems to have been replaced with a false front and some, a shammed personality. This I feel is something that even human beings do not know. They just take it for granted that this is just a phase of growing up. And I feel sorry for them, Ed especially.

When the party, a small one with just the three of them (and me) and little cake, has ended, mother hurriedly chased Ed to go to bed, so that he would be ready and replenished for the big surprise they have in stall for the next day. Edison, curious but didn't want to spoil the fun, decided to heed his mother's advice and turned in early with his Batman pyjamas. As mother closed the doors, father was sitting on the couch at first floor, watching the TV distractedly.

"You were late tonight. I had a hard time telling Edison where you were." Mother sighed as she washed the dishes by the kitchen. Her voice was loud enough to be heard by father and the disappointment was apparent.

"But I came home, didn't I. To spend this special day with Ed." Father retorted as he flicked through the channels, clearly uninterested in this conversation, in fact, in everything.

Mother wiped the dishes and put them in place before making her way to the hall to talk to her husband. She was clearly losing it, I could tell.

"This isn't the point, Chris. The point is—"

"The point is, I've had a busy day with work today. Let me have some time to myself won't you?"He put down the remote and turned to face his wife, a face he once fell in love with so much.

"With work?" she raised an eyebrow, "I'd say with Macy, rather."

Christopher's face grew pale for a split second before turning red, with anger.

"Well, since you've found out, then might as well come clean with it yeah? Yes, I was with her, since yesterday—at her apartment. Happy?"

Mother felt anger burning in her as she took a step forward, "I don't care who you're with and where you've been. I don't give a damn, really! But please do remember that you have a son, six years old and waiting! For his father to have dinner with him and to play games with him! And where were you? In bed with another filthy women of yours? Shame on you!"

"You better shut that filthy mouth of yours before I turn nasty. I don't want my son to hear any of this, you hear me?"

"Well, I see you're trying to protect that daddy image of yours aren't you? But tell me, when have you ever give a damn or paid any attention to our son? I have problems myself making up excuses for you! And here you are telling me you don't want him to hear you? I _want_ him to hear me. To know what kind of father my poor Eddy has!"

"YOU, SHUT UP!" And as he said that, Chris gave a tight slap across mother's delicate face. An apparent red emerged as soon as he hit her. With widened eyes, he gritted his teeth and managed to calm down a little, "just shut up."

Nobody said anything for a few minutes.

"It's my fault isn't it?" Mother spoke, recovering from pain and shock, "because I lost the baby."

Father's face softened a little and I could see tears in both the couple's eyes.

"Didn't we promise not to bring that up again? And this is a different matter altogether, alright?" His voice filled with pain and regret as he memories from the past flooded his mind.

"No it isn't. Ever since the day we lost her, you've changed. You don't hug me anymore. You don't talk to me like you ever did before. You're disgusted with me, aren't you? And with Edison. You're tired of being a father and a husband in this family anymore, aren't you?"

_And who's going to understand that I'm going though pain too?_ She thought bitterly.

Chris touched his wife's folded arms softly and spoke, "Stop it. You know this isn't true, alright? Kate, this isn't about our daughter alright. Stop spouting nonsense, you know they're not true."

"Then what is? Chris, tell me, right in my face. What this is about? Because I'm really dying to know. Is Macy really that great? Can she take away this excruciating pain that you're experiencing? Then get her to take away my pain too. Will you?"

And with that, Kate broke down, tears gushing down her cheeks like water escaping from a dam. Her brown eyes were filled with so much tears that she could hardly see anything but water. She felt her heart turn sour but nothing can ever take this feeling away, not even God.

Chris was at a lost too, but he knew that nothing he did was ever going to bring his wife back. Truth is, he hadn't been feeling love from his wife ever since she was so caught up with the lost baby and Edison. He didn't feel happy with her anymore. He wanted to try so hard to bring that feeling back, the feeling of bliss and paradise he once was so engulfed in when he first knew her. He tried using flowers, dinners, candles and rings to woo his wife back. But it wasn't until soon enough, then did he realise that the old Kate was gone. The wife he had now had lost the optimism in her that he once admired her for. The wife he had now was so caught up with work, domestic business and guilt that she had no time to face reality.

And neither did he have the courage too.

The only thing he felt was appropriate for him to do now was to leave, to escape from this brutal and harsh reality that he never imagined he would land himself in.

And so, he walked towards the door and closed it behind him, walking to his car as lightning struck and rain began to fall. And there he was, escaping from the only chance for him to exercise his responsibility of being a father and a husband. Breaking the only bridge for communication and once again, smashing high hopes his son had for the surprise for the following day.

And what could a dog like me do? I can't speak human language to console Kate. The only thing I could do now was to hope for the better. Hoping that Edison doesn't know any of this and that he could happy.

And good thing is, that is my job.p To make Edison happy.


End file.
